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[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
maids getting a little nosy." She drew out a box and handed it to Shadow. Shadow inspected the duplicate bracelet, shaking her head in awe. It was perfect, even to the inscription inside. Shadow herself could never have seen the difference. "It's wonderful," Shadow admitted. "Do you have the other one with you?" Donya's eyes widened. "I thought you wanted it kept hidden." "I know." Shadow sighed. "But I think I'd better take it now." Donya was silent for a long moment. "You're getting ready to leave, then, aren't you?" Shadow looked into her friend's troubled eyes and sighed, discarding the story she had been fabricating. "Yes," she said. "I think it's time I was moving on. I'm going to give Ganrom the fake bracelet. I'll take the real one with me where it won't do any harm." "Don't you think it would be safer if I kept it?" Donya asked slowly. "Not that I don't trust you," she added hastily. "But if someone finds out that you have it " Shadow shook her head. "It might be safer for me," she said. "But I wouldn't sleep too well at night, wondering if someone'd found out you had it and figuring what they could do to get it from you. No, it's my problem, and I'm content that it stay that way." Donya sighed, then pushed up her sleeve and, to Shadow's amazement, removed the bracelet from her own wrist. "Well, what did you expect?" Donya shrugged. "It's the only place I could swear it was safe all the time. I don't think even you could've gotten it off me without my knowing it. When are you leaving?" "I'm hoping to give the fake to Ganrom first thing tomorrow morning," Shadow said. She snapped the fake bracelet onto her right wrist and the real one higher up on the same arm, pulling her sleeve down to cover both. "I'll leave right after, before& anyone& has time to arrange anything nasty." Donya laid one hand on Shadow's arm. "You'll come back to say goodbye, won't you?" she asked, looking into Shadow's eyes. "Bet on it," Shadow said lightly. "But listen, I'd better give you back your ring, just in case I forget " "No, you don't," Donya said immediately, reaching to restrain Shadow from pulling off the ring. "You weren't going to come here and say goodbye, were you? No, thanks. You owe me that much, Shady. Bring the ring back tomorrow yourself." "All right." Shadow sighed. She hadn't wanted to come back; she hated sentimental goodbyes. But well, all she had to do was say Donya's name backwards and the ring would return itself. She could attach a short note. That would do. "What about your thousand Suns?" Donya asked her. "Have them sent to Aspen." Shadow shrugged. "He'd rather I delivered Evanor's assassin, but it's not important enough for me to get killed over." She sighed again. "I don't like leaving you with a mess I may have stirred up, though." Donya looked at the grass for a moment. "Shadow," she said slowly, "if you're leaving anyway, can you at least tell me what's been going on?" "I suppose that's only fair," Shadow said after a moment's thought. "But the truth is, Doe, I really don't know. All I know is that after I got hold of that bracelet, everything suddenly exploded. I know that Ganrom is the one who sent Blade after me " "WHAT?" Donya choked. "Your own Guildmaster " " and that it has something to do with the problems between the Guild and the Council of Churches," Shadow finished with a shrug. "And I know that fellow Derek is involved somehow. But I don't have any other facts to give you. Honestly, Doe, and that's not Guild loyalty talking. Things are building up to a crisis, and I don't like to think what the choices are for the Guild." "Then there's nothing to be done?" Donya asked bleakly. "Nothing I can think of," Shadow said, shaking her head. "If either side gives in now, its influence is going to be crippled for good. And if nobody gives in, you're going to have a hell of a bloody fracas on your hands. Stay out of it if you can, is all I can say." "How can I?" Donya said exasperatedly. "I'm the High Lord's own daughter and heir." "Get out of town for a while, then," Shadow suggested. "Come with me, if you want. You've always been a traveler. A few good fights, a few good brothels, and you'll be a new person. By the time you get back, it may have all blown over." Donya slowly shook her head. "That would be a good idea if I were you. Shady," she said regretfully. "But I just can't run out on my parents and leave them to deal with this. I can't." "No, you wouldn't," Shadow said, sighing. "But I had to try." Donya barely smiled. "I know," she said. "And thanks. But you'd better be going now, before someone sees you here. And you will stop by tomorrow morning, right?" "Bet on it," Shadow said, swallowing hard. "You take care, Doe, you hear me?" [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |
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